Daniel R. Coats

Daniel R. Coats, a Republican, is a U.S. Senator from Indiana since January 2011. Previously Coats represented Indiana in the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 1999, and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1988.

On August 15, 2001, Daniel R. Coats was appointed by President George W. Bush as U.S. Ambassador to Germany.

Overview
"On retirement from the U.S. Senate in 1999, Ambassador Coats joined former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and George Mitchell as Special Counsel with the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand.

"Before his election to the U.S. Congress, Ambassador Coats served as Indiana Director for then Congressman J. Danforth Quayle, from 1977-1980. Prior to his career in politics, he was Assistant Vice President of a Fort Wayne, Indiana, life insurance company. Ambassador Coats served in the U.S. Army from 1966-68.

"As Senator, Ambassador Coats was a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, serving as Chairman of the Military Personnel and Air/Land Forces Subcommittees. He also served on the Senate Select Committee for Intelligence and the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. In the Senate, he joined with Democratic Senator Joseph I. Lieberman in advocating and authorizing a number of defense reform and transformation initiatives.

"Ambassador Coats is the author of 'The Project for American Renewal and Mending Fences: Renewing Justice Between Government and Civil Society'. He is a past President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and has served on a number of boards, and civic and volunteer organizations, including the Center for Jewish and Christian Values, which he co-chaired with Senator Lieberman.

"Ambassador Coats is a graduate of Wheaton College and holds a juris doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law, where he was Associate Editor of the Law Review. He holds three honorary doctoral degrees."

Sources: Congressional Biography; Wheaton College Biography. --- Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) is a "graduate of Wheaton College (IL) (1965) and the University of Indiana School of Law (1971). He served in the U.S. Army (1966-1968) and then practiced law before entering politics. He served first as district representative for U.S. Congressman Dan Quayle (1976-1980). He was then elected to the 97th Congress, as well as to the three succeeding Congresses (1981-1989); he was also elected to the One Hundred First Congress but did not serve. Coats was then appointed to the United States Senate December 12, 1988, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of J. Danforth Quayle as Vice President, and was sworn in on January 3, 1989. He was reelected by special election in 1990 to complete the remainder of the term ending January 3, 1993; in 1992 he was reelected to the term ending January 3, 1999. Senator Coats was not a candidate for reelection in 1998.

"Senator Coats' primary legislative concern in both houses of Congress has been policies affecting families and children. Known for his leadership in the Project for American Renewal and the Renewal Alliance, the senator has been seeking to change the relation of government to society by means of laws that will strengthen non-government institutions."

Taken from 1997 Leadership Award from the The Center for Public Justice.

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External resources

 * Daniel R. Coats short bio, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, accessed January 2011.
 * Daniel R. Coats profile, Project Vote Smart, accessed January 2011.
 * Daniel R. Coats money, Open Secrets, accessed January 2011.
 * Daniel R. Coats profile, NNDB, accessed January 2011.
 * Election 2010 Indiana Senate Profile, The New York Times, accessed January 2011.